Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Ethiopia on Tuesday for the second leg of his visit, before heading to Oman to conclude the trip. He had started his three-nation tour by visiting Jordan first on Monday, December 15. During his visit, PM Modi met Jordan’s King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein at the Husseiniya Palace in Amman for delegation-level talks. During the meeting, the two leaders reviewed bilateral relations and discussed regional and global issues, with a focus on peace and countering terrorism.
The tour has drawn global attention, particularly toward Jordan’s royal leadership, including King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein and Queen Rania Al Abdullah. In another special gesture from the royal family, Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II personally drove PM Modi to the Jordan Museum on Tuesday. Alongside PM Modi’s meeting with King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, the spotlight was also on Queen Rania Al Abdullah, the First Lady of Jordan.
Who is Rania Al Abdullah?
Queen Rania, born as Rania Al-Yassin on 31 August 1970, is the queen consort of Jordan and the wife of King Abdullah II. She was born into a Palestinian family and spent her early years in Kuwait before moving to Jordan in the early 1990s. Rania attended the New English School in Kuwait before pursuing a degree in business administration from the American University in Cairo. After completing her graduation, she worked briefly in marketing for Citibank and joined Apple Inc. in Amman, Jordan later.
Love story with King Abdullah
She met King Abdullah, who was prince then, in January 1993 at a dinner gathering in Jordan. Their connection was immediate, and within just two months, the couple became engaged. The couple married on June 10, 1993, with Rani becoming a princess. In 1999, following the death of King Hussein, Abdullah ascended the throne, and Rania was formally named Queen of Jordan, beginning her role as First Lady. After marrying into the royal family, she has used her position to advocate for various sectors of society in Jordan and beyond. Queen Rania and King Abdullah II have four children: Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah, Princess Iman bint Abdullah, Princess Salma bint Abdullah, and Prince Hashem bin Abdullah.
Author of three books
Rania is one of the famous queens known for her advocacy in education, women’s rights, and humanitarian work. Her initiatives include focus on education, youth empowerment, health, and the environment in Jordan. On the global stage, Queen Rania has actively campaigned for education and cross-cultural dialogue. She is also an author of three children’s books: The Sandwich Swap, The King’s Gift, and Eternal Beauty.
Jordan, a small country situated between Saudi Arabia and Israel, is ruled by King Abdullah II. Abdullah is considered a 41st-generation descendant of Prophet Muhammad. His family has governed the region for over 1,400 years, and the King is counted among the wealthiest monarchs in the Middle East.
